It is well known to provide a variety of musical instruments with special controls which can vary the musical effects of the instrument. For example the piano has foot pedals which can vary the effects produced by the strings. Harps also incorporate such a foot pedal.
Electric guitars are also provided with a foot control device which can vary the effects of the guitar. Usually such foot controls have been in the form of a pedal of some kind. On a piano for example the pedal or pedals are pivoted on a column extending down beneath the piano, in a fixed location. The player is usually located, preferably seated, where he/she can reach the pedals
Foot controls for a guitar are not incorporated in the guitar itself. The control is a separate component. It is connected to the guitar by an electric cable.
It can be positioned in a convenient location on the floor, close to the location of the player, who may be standing or seated.
This allows for greater flexibility in arranging the various players of different instruments, and also takes up less floor space than conventional controls.
However such movable controls have usually been based on some kind of pedal. Either the pedal was similar in operation to a piano pedal, i.e. it was hinged to a base, or the pedal was a sort of tilting see-saw device, with the foot resting on the surface.
In other cases the control was some kind of button which could simply be depressed or released.
These controls operated some form of electrical circuit. The range of movement of such a device was restricted by the range of swinging of the pedal about its tilt axis. As a result the of range of movement was limited.
This in turn resulted in the device providing a somewhat insensitive degree of control over the musical effect.
Clearly it is desirable to provide such a control in which the range of physical movement available for the control is greater than in such previous controls. This will enable the player to achieve a finer degree of control of variation.
Another disadvantage of known controls was that they were relatively bulky and heavy. Players of an instrument such as a guitar will want to move from one venue to another as freely as possible. Given that the instrument itself must be of a certain size, it is desirable that the auxiliary devices shall be as small and compact as possible, so as to render them easily portable when moved from place to place.
It is also desirable that, when in use such a control shall occupy a minimum floor area, or “footprint”, or space on the control; board of the player, to avoid interfering with other players, and their equipment.